Sunday, 6 June 2010

L'Oreal Open Eyes Chrome Intensity Aquadisiac

I tried out the L'Oreal Open Eyes Chrome Intensity Aquadisiac today. The shades are Aquadisiac (teal), Highlighter (white), Blue Jean (smoky navy) and Deep Blue (intense midnight blue). The palette is great for creating smokey eyes or you can also do a vibrant colourful look by playing up the Aquadisiac shade. After prepping my lids with Testimo Bright Up Eye Base, I used the slim sponge tip applicator to line the upper eyelid with Deep Blue, which shows up as an intense greyish black. I used the fat sponge tip applicator to apply Blue Jean in the outer half of the crease. Blue Jean shows up darker than it appears in the pan. I applied Aquadisiac in the inner half of the crease, blending it well with Blue Jean in the middle of the lid, as well as along the lower lashline. Then I used a brush to apply the highlighter shade over the browbone area and along the lower lashline, below the Aquadisiac shade. I finished by curling my lashes, applying Maybelline Pulse Perfection Waterproof mascara and Heroine Make Smooth Liquid Liner. As you can see, the shades are really intense! The texture is somewhat on the dry side and it does take a bit of layering for a more intense effect. The shades are well-coordinated and complement one another very well. They are also easy to blend with a brush for a more graduated effect. Used over a good primer, they lasted more than eight hours on me without any fallout, oxidisation or fading. There was only very minimal creasing at the inner corners. I also like the metallic glimmer of these eyeshadows and the fact that there is no glitter. The highlighter shade is a soft dreamy white that is thankfully not frosty. It can appear chalky if over-applied so do be careful to use this very lightly as a sheer wash. I balanced out the dramatic eye makeup by keeping the rest of the face simple with Dior X4 Control Compact Foundation, Chantecaille Brilliant Gloss in Charm and no blush. Overall, I think this palette is quite a steal at just S$19.90 as the shades are highly pigmented, which is rare for a drugstore brand. The texture is not as velvety as some prestige brands but the finished effect and lasting power is definitely on par with other more expensive department store brands that I have tried.

Hi,Yes the Chrome Intensity quads are made in China. If you are not comfortable with that, there are plenty of other options like Majolica Majorca and Fasio that are made in Japan. Many US beauty companies manufacture in China these days though, like NYX, Wet'n'Wild, Tarte. Even Sephora's palettes are usually made in China and so far I haven't read about any issues with them.